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Train from Madrid airport to Barcelona

Hello everyone
I m flying on Sunday June 2-19 to Madrid arriving Madrid 11:30am hopefully without any delays then I need to take a transportation from Madrid airport to Barcelona I need to now what’s the best and low cost transportation to Barcelona I thank you all you can also text me at 917-559-4096

Posted by
198 posts

Seems to me you should fly, but check out rome2rio to see all your options.

Posted by
10344 posts

Agree with the first post: You're already going to be at the Madrid/Barajas airport with your baggage, so flying on one of the cheap intra-Europe carriers sounds way easier in this case, rather than expending the time and effort to get you and your baggage downtown to one of the two train stations.

But this heads up: The Madrid/Barajas airport has four terminals and they aren't particularly close to each other.
Here's what Rick says about it:
"Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are connected by long, indoor walkways (about a 10-minute walk apart); the newer Terminal 4 is farther away and also has a separate satellite terminal called T4S. Be clear on which terminal your flight uses. *Make sure to allow enough time if you need to travel between terminals."

You may not need to travel between terminals, but if you do need to do that, he gives more details on getting from one terminal to another, on p. 515-516 of his Spain 2019 book, which you probably want to read.

And/or look at the English version of the airport website for more info.

I was just at Barajas airport a few weeks ago (arriving from US, not making a connection), and I never even saw the other 3 terminals.

Posted by
4044 posts

www.skyscanner.com

There are many, many one-way flights from Madrid to Barcelona, for $100 US or less. Probably as cheap as the train and certainly faster. The complication is that you will have to go through immigration and border control to check in with the second airline. Might take some time at that airport, which is widely spread out.. I hope there is a good reason you didn't just book an itinerary right to Barcelona which would probably have been a lot easier even with changing planes in Madrid.

Posted by
10344 posts

Not in the case of this OP, because the OP is already at the Madrid airport--but in many cases the 190-mph trains are actually faster than air, because the trains take you from city center to city center, and thus you avoid the time, expense & hassle of getting to the airport, checking in, security checks, waiting to board, etc, on both ends.

Posted by
2 posts

Is their any train right from the airport to Barcelona? Or I will have to leave the airport going to the city ?

Posted by
10344 posts

Rick's book mentions that arriving passengers can ride a Cercanias train from Terminal 4 to either of Madrid's two train stations, where (presumably) you would then have to buy a train ticket (could be expensive at the last minute). And of course you would have to schlep your baggage with you onto that train, as well as another train that you might get to Barcelona.

Just curious--Have you rejected the option, suggested in previous posts, of just getting on a connecting flight, since you'll already be at the airport?

Posted by
27109 posts

If you decide to take the train, try to buy a ticket all the way to Barcelona at the airport. The lines at the staffed counters at Madrid's Atocha Station can be horrendous, so you should try your best not to have to buy a ticket there. The vending machines are fine unless they decide they don't like your credit card.